Net Worth:$2.1 bilFortune:self madeSource:diversifiedAge:80Country Of Citizenship:CanadaResidence:VancouverIndustry:DiversifiedEducation:University of British Columbia, Marital Status:married, 3 children

After finishing university, Vancouver magnate parlayed car dealerships into advertising, fishing and supermarket empire. Acquired 9 new companies last year, including Guinness World Records. Despite troubles in his auto and coal export subsidiaries, expects to remain on the prowl for opportunistic buys in 2009. Also owns stake, sits on board of Canadian telecom company, BCE Inc., which in December experienced the collapse of what would have been the biggest leveraged buyout in Canadian history. Runs eclectic tourist attractions including Ripley's Believe It or Not and owns massive Palm Springs lair that once belonged to Frank Sinatra.